A new beginning…

When you’re churchy people, which we are, church is a most important piece of your lives, and when you are going to a church that just isn’t working for you, it is very painful, especially when the church you are attending is full of good people, with a good priest who is doing spectacular things in the community, is well loved, and is someone you respect…but it still isn’t working for you…It’s just not the right place, not a good match. I guess it’s the same for other people with other associations: health clubs, maybe, quilting groups, card groups…any group which is really important to who you are and what you do in the world…

Well, we’ve just been through that situation and hopefully are on a new and better track for us. We’ve found a church that really seems to work for both of us: the people are friendly, the music program is superb and of the type we like (classical, traditional, with a good organist who is friendly, and supportive of new folks who might well like to be involved in the choir), the liturgy is tastefully done, carefully done (no regular mistakes in the bulletin, follows the Book of Common Prayer, important to Episcopalians, readers who have obviously practiced, and often seem to have taken what they are reading into their hearts, and are reading from experience with the lesson, not performing, attention to tradition without being stale and precious…) The one downside is that it is 35 minutes away…but in truth, the nearest possibility is 20 minutes away, so…in any case, we are both very happy at this new place, and once again, look forward to going to church each week, something which hasn’t been the case for several years. Many of you out there probably think this is boring, boring, boring, and irrelevant to your lives…and it might well be, unless you are involved in some group activity where the group just isn’t working…for you or for them… Then, perhaps you’ll get what I’m saying…

On another note, it’s been a most peculiar month, with very little snow, mostly cold temperatures, a lot of windy days. We have seen the sun a few times, but it’s largely been so unpleasant out that I am not hankering to take walks! Well, we’re half way through winter, and only about 7 weeks til lambing. I am thrilled because this year, for the first time, our grandchildren will be with us during lambing season,and hopefully, they’ll get to see lambs born. Many of the grandchildren of friends who live locally have been here to see this process, but not our own, so I’m looking forward to it. And Peter will be taking an incubator,fertile eggs, and instructions back with him to try to hatch out eggs in school. He is very enthused about this. I wish I could go back with him to help set it up and explain the process to the class, but I can’t, since it is lambing season and I don’t leave for long periods of time during those three weeks. Maybe I’ll head down there during the first couple of weeks in March and visit his class…I’ll see.

Which reminds me, I still haven’t contacted the shearer to come in March. Better do that right now…

I’ve a hankering for pizza, but a chicken thawing for dinner…I wonder which one will win out…